Method of establishing a communications call

ABSTRACT

A method system, interface and server for establishing a communications call by selecting a B party ( 6 ) using an interactive device ( 16 ) connected to a public network ( 10,12 ), sending called address data for the B party ( 6 ) and calling address data for an A party ( 4 ) to a communications platform ( 18 ) of the public network ( 10,12 ), and establishing a call between the A and B parties ( 4,6 ) over the public network ( 10,12 ) using the communications platform ( 18 ) and the called and calling address data. The called address data can be accessed from the public network, and may reside on a server of a messaging network, such as the Internet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of establishing acommunications call and a system for use in establishing a call.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently to establish a public telecommunications call requires anoriginating party to know the telephone number of the destination and totake steps to either manually dial the number or to cause the number tobe accessed from a database maintained by the originating party anddialled. If the originating party does not know the number of thedestination then service personnel of a carrier can be contacted toobtain the number and if desired connect the originating party anddestination party, hereinafter referred to as the A and B party,respectively.

The B party's number can also be determined by consulting a publicdirectory which may be in print or electronic form. A call with the Bparty can then be established by dialling the number obtained.

As information concerning the B party's number is known by atelecommunications carrier a method and system is desired to enable thatinformation to be used automatically, on request, to establish a callbetween the A party and the B party without the caller having to dialthe number.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method ofestablishing a communications call, including:

selecting a B party using an interactive device connected to a publicnetwork;

sending called address data for said B party and calling address datafor an A party to communications means of said public network; and

establishing a call between said A and B parties over said publicnetwork using said communications means and said called and callingaddress data.

The present invention also provides a method of originating acommunications call, including:

selecting a B party using an interactive device connected to a publicnetwork; and

sending, in response to selection of said B party, selected party datacorresponding to said B party to said public network;

whereby said public network provides said called address data for said Bparty to communications means for establishing a call between an A partyand said B party.

The present invention further provides an interface of an interactivedevice for originating a communications call, including:

means for causing display of at least one B party;

means for enabling a B party to be selected on said display, and

a link which on being activated sends selected party data correspondingto said B party to a public network, whereby said public networkinstructs communications means of said public network to establish acall with said B party.

The present invention also provides an interface stored on aninteractive device connected to a public network, including:

code for generating a display on said device of B party data;

code allowing selection of a B party from said B party data;

code for transmitting to said public network selected party datacorresponding to the selected B party; and

code for transmitting to said public network A party data, whereby saidpublic network establishes a call between an A party and a B partycorresponding to said A party data and said selected party data.

The present invention also provides a system for use in establishing acommunications call, including:

called address data for parties connected to at least one publicnetwork;

an access module for transmitting said called address data fordisplaying an interactive device, and for receiving selected party datafrom said interactive device; and

network means for receiving said selected party data, including calledaddress data for the selected party, and calling address datacorresponding to an A party and generating, in response thereto, networkcontrol signals to cause said network to establish a call between said Aparty and said B party over said network.

The present invention further provides a system for use in establishinga communications call, including:

a directory database including called address data for parties connectedto at least one public network;

an access module for receiving on said network selected party datacorresponding to a B party and accessing called address data on thebasis of said selected party data from said directory database; and

network means for receiving said called address data and calling addressdata corresponding to an A party and generating, in response thereto,network control signals to cause said network to establish a callbetween said A party and said B party over said network.

The present invention also provides a directory server for use inestablishing a communications call, including:

a directory database module for accessing directory data, includingcommunications address data, of parties connected to at least one publicnetwork;

a call connection module for transmission to an interactive device of auser and for accessing for said interactive device directory data usingsaid directory database module;

a call completion module for receiving selected party data for a B partyof said call from said interactive device and transmitting a connectmessage to communications means of said public network for establishingsaid call, said connect message including communications address datafor said B party obtained using said directory database module.

The present invention further provides a server for use in establishinga communications call, including:

a call connection module for transmission to an interactive device of auser and for transmitting a connection message from said interactivedevice;

a call completion module for receiving said connection message andforwarding a connect message to communications means of a public networkfor establishing a call between A and B parties;

wherein said connection message includes data identifying at least saidB party and said connect message includes communications address datafor said A and B parties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are hereinafterdescribed, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first preferred embodiment of asystem for use in establishing a telecommunications call;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a distributed directory database of the system ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a more detailed block diagram of a directory service of thesystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a first user interface;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a second user interface;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a second preferred embodiment of asystem for use in establishing a telecommunications call;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the system of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an intelligent peripheral of the system ofFIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A system 2 for establishing a telecommunications call between twoparties 4 and 6, as shown in FIG. 1, uses a network 8 which includes atelecommunications network 10 and a messaging network 12. Thetelecommunications network 10 may be any Public Switched TelephoneNetwork (PSTN) such as that maintained by the applicant. The messagingnetwork 12 may be a TCP/IP network, such as the Internet, which issupported by the PSTN 10 and used to connect interactive devices, suchas personal computers. The system 2 includes a directory service 14which is accessible via the messaging network 12 and provides directoryinformation, such as the telecommunications address or number for aparty 4 or 6 which can be connected by the telecommunications network10. A customer or user of the directory service 14 can use theirinteractive device 16 to access the directory information. The directoryservice 14 may include a search module, or alternatively provides asearch applet to the interactive device 16, which allows a device 16connected to the service 14 to search through the directory informationusing keywords or search strings for selected parts of the information.For example, the device 16 may be used to search for the name of a Bparty the user may wish to establish a connection with. Once detailsconcerning the desired B party have been displayed on the screen of theinteractive device 16, the user can select that party to indicate itwishes a connection to be established so as to establish a call withthat party. The selection can be made using the device 16 by clicking ona icon or hypertext relating to the B party on the display, using avoice recognition command, or using a keyboard of the device 16.

Once the B party has been selected by the interactive device 16, aconnection message is sent via the messaging network 12 to the directoryservice 14. The connection message, which includes identifyinginformation concerning the B party, is used to access atelecommunications address for the B party and a telecommunicationsaddress also for the A party for a telecommunications call. Thetelecommunications terminal for the A party may be a terminal of thecustomer or user or a terminal of another party which the user hasdesignated as being the A party. Alternatively a connection server canbe used to receive the connection message and obtain, if necessary,address data from the directory service 14.

The directory service 14 then forwards a connect message, which includestelecommunications addresses, via the messaging network 12 to anIntelligent Network (IN) control platform 18 of the system 2. The INplatform 18 uses the data in the connect message to provide controlsignals to a switch of the telecommunications network 10 which causesthe network 10 to dial the A party 4 and the B party 6 and establish acall between the two parties 4 and 6. The IN platform 18 also uses thedata to forward charging and billing information to a charging andbilling module, which may be unique to the system 2 or simply form partof the charging and billing modules used for the telecommunicationsnetwork 10.

The directory service 14 can be provided by an Internet World Wide Web(WWW) server which maintains a directory web site and includes or allowsaccess to machines maintaining a directory database 20. The server wouldinclude a number of web pages 22 written in HTML and a directoryapplication 24 which in response to selections made on the pages 22 isable to access and provide for pages 22 directory information from thedirectory database 20.

The directory database 20 accessed by the directory application 24 maycomprise a number of directory databases 26 to 30 in a number ofdifferent locations and for different regions or countries which areaccessed by the directory application 24 using a communications network32, such as an X.25 network. The directory application 24 may godirectly via the communications network 32 or via an Internet gateway 34to the communications network 32. The directory information provided forthe pages 22 of the WWW site are accessible by the interactive device 16of the customer using a web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Exploreror Netscape Navigator. The directory application 24 of the service 14also includes a search module which allows the user to search thedirectory information on the basis of keywords or search strings tolocate information for a desired party. The directory information wouldnormally include the name of the party, a telephone address or number,and residential or business addresses.

The directory information access and search modules of the service 14described above arc currently provided on a WWW server maintained by theapplicant and accessible at http://www.whitepages.com.au/ for WhitePages and at http://www.yellowpages.com.au/ for Yellow Pages. Thedirectory service 14 enhances the existing server by including callcompletion hypertext links with a call completion page 38 for the webpages 22 and adding call completion script 40 to the directoryapplication 24, as shown in FIG. 4.

The directory interface 14, as shown in FIG. 4, includes the WWW server42 which maintains and executes the web pages 22 and the directoryapplication 24 which includes the directory search script and the callcompletion script 40. The server provides interfaces to the customer 16as a WWW client, and implements the HTTP protocol to serve requests fromthe client 16. The directory search page 36 includes directory searchhypertext links and the server 42 sends this page to the client 16requesting the user to enter search details, for example, name or anypart of it, address details, city or suburb. The directory searchscripts 24 are attached to the links of the directory search page 36 andare activated when a link is selected so as to send a search request tothe directory database 20 to select entries that match the parameters ofthe search query. The directory database 20 includes an interface whichis able to accept search queries from the directory application and mayuse any standard database query language or interface to obtaindirectory information from the database 20. The call completion page 38receives and displays search results obtained by the directoryapplication 24 and includes the call completion hypertext links.

A screen display 39, as shown in FIG. 5, can be produced from thedirectory search and call completion pages 36 and 38 using a framesfacility provided by the web browser. The display 39 provides boxes 41for the entry of search information and a button link 43 to commence asearch based on the entered search information. The results of thesearch are displayed in a frame 45 which allows a selected party 47 tobe highlighted. A connection with the highlighted party 47 can then berequested by clicking on the hypertext “Auto Connect” 49 which invokesthe call completion script 40.

If desired, the database searching functions can be omitted or notactivated by providing a call completion page 38 which does not have toinclude search results and simply includes call completion hypertextlinks which allow party select data to be generated or call address datato be entered. The call completion scripts or codes 40 are attached tothe call completion hypertext links of the call completion page 38 andare executed when the WWW client 16 selects one of the links. Furtherweb pages may then be forwarded to the client 16 for user interaction.These are form based pages that the user needs to complete to provideidentification and charging information, such as a Telecard number (i.e.calling card number) and PIN, and the A party's telephone number.Alternatively prior arrangements may be made to authorise the A and/or Bparties and the cost of the call directed to one or both of the parties.The B party number used will be that selected from the search resultsdisplayed on the call completion page 38 or another number which theuser may enter or select. All of the information, including the A and Bparty numbers are collected by the call completion scripts and providedto an interface to the IN platform 18 of the directory application 24.The interface of the directory application 24 places the information inan appropriate message format as a connect message for transmission viathe Internet 12 to an Internet gateway 50 of the IN platform 18.

The IN platform 18, as shown in FIG. 2, receives the connect message viathe Internet gateway 50 and passes it to a management agent 52 whichextracts the required connection information for an IN application 54 ofthe platform 18. The IN application 54 generates and sends controlsignals to an IN switch 60 of the PSTN 10 to establish the call betweenthe A party and the B party 4 and 6. The control signals include datarepresentative of the telephone addresses or numbers for the parties 4and 6.

The IN platform 18 and the IN switch 60 include standard networkcomponents which arc defined by the International TelecommunicationsUnion (ITU) Recommendation Q.1214, entitled “Distributed FunctionalPlane for Intelligent Network CS-1”, which is incorporated herein byreference. A standard protocol is used for information exchange betweenthe components, as described in ITU Recommendation Q.1218, entitled“Interface Recommendation for Intelligent Network CS-1”, which is alsoincorporated herein by reference.

The IN platform 18 may comprise the Scants intelligent network platformowned by the applicant which is currently used to establish connectionsbetween computers over the PSTN 10. The Scants IN platform is describedin the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,770. The Scants IN platform18 on receiving a connection request instructs an IN switch 60 to callthe A party 4 first, inform that party of the call establishment, andthen call the B party 6 to connect it to the A party. The Scantsplatform 18 is run on a server which needs to receive the domain nameand the IP address of the server running the web pages 22 and directoryapplication 24 of the directory service 14, as it is this directoryserver which is requesting the connection be made. The Scants server isable to attend to call charging and billing once it receives the accountdetails, such as the Telecard and PIN number, of the WWW client 16 fromthe directory service 14.

The directory application 24 can be implemented by a server, hereinafterreferred to as the InterCall Server, written in the Java language, whichwould also be able to provide the pages 22 and all other features of thedirectory service 14 around the directory database 20. The InterCallServer is set up to execute on a UNIX host machine 42 connected to aTCP/IP network 12. The InterCall Server controls the directory serversystem 14 and creates a pair of server sockets, one for serving httprequests and the other for serving applet requests. Users with a Javacapable browser, such as Netscape Navigator 2.0 for Windows 95, receivea Java applet at their interactive device 16 after logging onto thedirectory service 14. The applet includes two parameters which specify auser name and key. The user name is the same as that entered by the userto log into the service 14, while the key is a random string generatedby the InterCall Server, and matched to the user name so that only oneapplet may log in for the user. The applet, running on the interactivedevice 16, can provide an interface 51, as shown in FIG. 6, to theInterCall Server for the user. The interface 51 includes a party numberselector 53, a field 55 to add a party number, and a list 57 of recentlydialled calls, from which a user may redial a number. The appletcommunicates with the InterCall Server through an applet_stub and anapplet_reader object, which implement a protocol to send human readablemessages in a client/server manner between the user's interactive device16 and the directory service 14. The messages consist of a single lineof ASCII characters, and a terminating new line character, and are setout in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Direction Message Meaning Applet to USER username This messageis the first sent by the applet when it logs into the Server server. Theusername parameter is a base64 encoded string that is the usernameassociated with the applet. Applet to KEY key This is the second messagesent by the applet when it logs into Server the server. The keyparameter is the same as the key that was passed as a parameter with theapplet. The key is a unique random string that ensures an applet canlogin only once. After sending the KEY message, the applet waits for aresponse that will be either of the following two messages. Server toBYE The BYE message is sent in response to a failed login attempt.Applet this may be sent because the authorisation of the applet failed,or because of some system error. Server to OK user The OK message issent in response to a successful applet login Applet anum1 attempt. Theuser parameter is a base64 encoding of the full name anum2 . . . of theuser that has logged in. The anumN parameters are base64 encodings ofthe valid A party numbers for the user, the first being the defaultnumber. Server to PING A PING message is used by the server to determineif the socket Applet to an applet is writable. It is ignored by theapplet. Server to CALL bnum The CALL message is sent to the applet whenthe server has Applet determined that the user of the applet hasrequested a call. The bnum parameter is a base64 encoding of the B partynumber of the call request. The applet should response with an OK orCANCEL message. Server to STATUS The STATUS message is sent to an appletto inform it of the Applet code current status of the call request. Thecode parameter is a 3 digit response code that currently uses the samesyntax as the response codes generated by the Scants platform. Server toINCOMING user The INCOMING message is sent to an applet to inform itthat Applet another user logged in to the InterCall system has requesteda call to the default A party number of this applet. This is a form ofcalling party identification. The user parameter is the name of the userthat requested the call. Server to BYE The BYE message is sent to informthe applet that it should shut Applet down. Applet to OK anum The OKmessage is sent in response to a CALL message sent by Server the server.It indicates to the server that the call should be attempted. The anumparameter is a base64 encoding of the A party number for the call -typically die currently selected A party number of the applet. Applet toCANCEL The CANCEL message is sent in response to a CALL message Serversent by the server. It indicates to the server that the call should notbe attempted. Applet to CALL bnum The CALL message is sent by the appletto the server to request Server initiation of a call. The serverresponds with a CALL message. The bnum parameter is a base64 encoding ofthe B party number for the call.

Instead of using a Telecard number and PIN number, the InterCall Serverobtains a username, together with a password if necessary, to identify auser for billing purposes. The username is provided to the IN platform18 instead of the Telecard number.

The Scants IN platform 18, as discussed above, provides a TCP/IPinterface for a call back system. The InterCall Server can connect tothe Scants platform 18 to send call requests. The InterCall Serverachieves this by simply passing or translating the messages receivedfrom the applet into a series of ASCII characters, separated by a TELNETnewline character for the Scants platform 18. The format of the ASCIIcharacters need to comply with the format set out below for Scantsmessages. The call completion script 40 would, in response to a callrequest, forward the same messages as the InterCall Server to the ScantsIN platform 18. The Scants platform 18 only requires registration of theIP address of the machine 42 from which the InterCall Server willattempt to connect to the platform 18, and then the messages can be sentand received.

The format of communication messages between the directory service 14,i.e. the InterCall Server, and the Scants platform 18 are set out below:

Format of Request (from Directory Server to Scants server):

-   -   char mti; // message type identifier, ‘R’ for request    -   char version; //‘0’ initially    -   char id[8]; // message ID, numeric base 10 id, all digits filled        -   // should uniquely identify request        -   // (used to match response)    -   char card[15]; // full telecard number, left justified, space        filled    -   char pin[4]; // telecard pin, left justified, space filled    -   char anum[24]; // a-party number, left justified, space filled        -   // E.164 format    -   char bnum[12]; // b-party number (Australian number)—area code        plus        -   // subscriber number, left justified, space filled    -   char newline[2]; // request separator—using default telnet        newline        -   // which is 0×0d followed by 0×0a.

Format of Response (from Scants Server to Directory Server):

-   -   char mti; // message type identifier, ‘S’ for status    -   char version; //‘0’ initially    -   char id[8]; // message id, numeric base 10 id, all digits filled        -   // matches id given in request    -   char rcode[3]; // 3 digit response/status code    -   char eventTime[10]; // MMDDhhmmss (month, day, hour, minute,        second)        -   // either answer time or clear time    -   char newline[2]; // response separator—using default telnet        newline        -   // which is 0×0d followed by 0×0a.

Responses from the Scants server to the Directory server occur wheneither:

-   -   the card/pin validation is incorrect    -   the A or B parties cannot be reached    -   the A and B parties are connected    -   the call is complete after the parties have been connected

EXAMPLE

After the A and B parties are connected response (rcode 600) isreturned. After the call ends an additional response (rcode 601) isreturned.

Response Codes and Categories

Response Codes Specific to Call Back Requests

-   -   600 call answered and in progress (A and B party connected)    -   601 call finished    -   602 ssh can't cope with request    -   603 card got lost or corrupted    -   604 pin got lost or corrupted    -   605 lost, or not a valid number    -   606 lost, or not a valid number    -   607 can't ring A—busy    -   608 can't ring B—busy    -   609 can't ring A—network failed    -   610 can't ring B—network failed    -   611 can't ring A—no answer    -   612 can't ring B—no answer    -   613 a system/software failure

Response Codes to do With Card Validation and Authorisation

-   -   100 full approval    -   101 time limited approval    -   108 no such card    -   110 retry request    -   118 card expired    -   119 wrong pin    -   121 too many tries    -   125 card restricted    -   131 wrong issuer (unrecognised card number)

Response Codes Indicating General Failure Within Scants

-   -   900 local comms failure    -   901 remote comms failure    -   902 remote comms failure (no alternative)    -   903 incomplete request (missing mandatory data)    -   904 tman error    -   905 bad request    -   906 route not found

The IN switch 60 supports the International Telecommunications Union(ITU) Intelligent Network (IN) standard capabilities and protocolsdefined for a Service Switch Function (SSF). The switch 60 includes aSSF call module 62 to receive and act on the connection control signalssent from the IN control platform 18, which acts as the Service ControlFunction (SCF). The module 62 then invokes Basic Call State Model (BCSM)call leg procedures 64 to contact and connect the A and B parties 4 and6 over the PSTN 10.

The IN switch 60 can be substituted by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX)or a virtual PBX (also known as CENTREX). The connection controlprotocol would follow a standard Computer-Telephony Interface as definedby ITU in “Telecommunications Applications for Switches and Computers”(TASC), ITU-T Recommendations Q.1301, Q.1302 and Q.1303, or theequivalent ANSI Standard entitled “Switch-Computer ApplicationsInterface” (SCAI).

An alternative system 10, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, is the same as thesystem 2 described previously except that the interactive device 16 isthe terminal for the A party and an intelligent peripheral 102 isprovided as part of the PSTN to provide a voice channel to theinteractive device 16 on the same telecommunications line which is usedto connect the device 16 to the directory service 14. The interactivedevice 16 executes an Internet phone application which allows the userto use an existing Internet access session on a telecommunications linefrom the device 16 to establish a phone connection on the same line. Asuitable Internet phone application package is distributed by NetspeakCorporation of the U.S., or VocalTec Ltd. of Israel, for use in standardpersonal computers. The Internet phone application uses when necessarylow-bit rate voice coding, for example of the order of 16 Kb/s, toestablish the phone connection using the same Internet access line asthat which would be used to access the directory service 14. Theintelligent peripheral 102 receives and converts the low-bit rate voicesignal to a standard 64 Kb/s for the PSTN 10.

The intelligent peripheral 102 is connected to the IN switch 60 and hasan Internet protocol manager module 104 which receives the same callconnect data as the SSF call procedure 62 from the IN application 54.The IP manager module 104 uses an LBR Internet port 106 for connectionvia the Internet 12 to an audio port and microphone 110 of theinteractive device 16 and a PSTN port 108 for connection to a BCSM callleg module 64 of the IN switch 60. The IP manager 104 establishes atelecommunications path, which may be a voice/audio path, between theLBR Internet port 106 and the PSTN port 108. Call data passed betweenthe ports 106 and 108 is converted between the low-bit rate Internetsignal and the PSTN standard bit rate. The call between the A and Bparties 4 and 6 is therefore connected from the audio port andmicrophone 110 of the A party through the ports 106 and 108, and thecall leg module 64 to the terminal 6 of the B party.

The intelligent peripheral 102 may comprise a personal computer whichincludes an Internet phone package, such as I-Phone, and a digital toanalogue converter. I-Phone is available from Netspeak Corporation ofthe U.S. or VocalTec Ltd. of Israel. I-Phone is designed to convertsignals received from the microphone input of a personal computer tosignals for an LBR Internet port. I-Phone also converts signals receivedon an LBR Internet port into signals for speaker outputs of a personalcomputer. Call establishment can be made by I-Phone over the Internetusing standard TCP/IP protocols, and is made as a result of a callrequest passed to I-Phone from user input on the keyboard of thecomputer.

In the intelligent peripheral 102, the I-Phone package 107 provides theLBR port 106 and the digital to analog converter 109 provides the MINport 108, as shown in FIG. 9. The digital to analog converter 109accepts signals from I-Phone 107 which are usually fed to personalcomputer speakers, and converts them to digital signals as required bythe BCSM call leg module 64 of the IN switch 60. The converter 109 alsoreceives signals from the BCSM call leg module 64 and converts them tosignals which I-Phone 107 would normally receive from a personalcomputer microphone.

The IP manger module 104 stored on the peripheral 102 issues callinstructions to I-Phone 107, instead of a personal computer keyboard.The IP manager module 104 interfaces I-Phone 107 to the IN application54 of the IN platform 6. Connection between the IP manager module 104and the IN application 54 is made using standard TCP/IP sockets.

In response to a call setup request from the IN application 54, the IPmanager 104 instructs I-Phone 107 to establish a call over the Internetto the audio port and microphone 110 of the customer's terminal 16. TheIN application 54 connects the PSTN port 108 to the B party 6, and theconnection is established between the B party 6 on a PSTN phone and theA party 4 on an Internet phone. The intelligent peripheral 102 is usedwhen the request for call establishment from the directory service 14 tothe IN platform 18 includes the Internet address of the A party insteadof the A party's PSTN number. On recognising the different format in theaddress data, the IN platform 18 will invoke the intelligent peripheral102.

The systems 2 and 100 and the call establishment procedures executed bythem are particularly advantageous as they allow a client with aninteractive device 16 to simply select a B party, without having to knowthat party's telecommunications number or address details, and establisha call between that party and a desired A party. The B party can besearched for using various search procedures provided by a directoryservice 14 using the interactive device 16, which can be remotelyconnected to the service 14. The system 100 also allows a call to beconnected directly to the interactive device 16 using the sametelecommunications line which may be used to remotely access directoryinformation.

Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention as hereinbeforedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1. A method of establishing a communications call, including: selectinga B party using an interactive device connected to a public network;sending called address data for said B party and calling address datafor an A party to communications means of said public network; andestablishing a call between said A and B parties over said publicnetwork using said communications means and said called and callingaddress data.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, including accessingsaid called address data from said public network.
 3. A method asclaimed in claim 2, wherein said called address data is accessed inresponse to selecting said B party.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 2,including searching for said B party using said interactive device and asearch module of said public network and a database of said publicnetwork including called address data.
 5. A method as claimed in claim4, wherein said interactive device is a computer device including avisual display.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein saidinteractive device is associated with said A party.
 7. A method asclaimed in claim 6, wherein said interactive device is a communicationsterminal for said call.
 8. A method of originating a communicationscall, including: selecting a B party using an interactive deviceconnected to a public network; and sending, in response to selection ofsaid B party, selected party data corresponding to said B party to saidpublic network; whereby said public network provides said called addressdata for said B party to communications means for establishing a callbetween an A party and said B party.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 8,including obtaining said called address data from said public network.10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said called address data isobtained in response to a search for said B party using said publicnetwork.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said selectedparty data includes said called address data.
 12. A method as claimed inclaim 9, wherein said called address data is accessed on the basis ofsaid selected party data.
 13. A method as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid public network includes a messaging network for connecting aplurality of said interactive device and at least one publictelecommunications network for connecting said A and B parties.
 14. Amethod as claimed in claim 13, wherein said messaging network providessaid interactive device with a plurality of B party data.
 15. A methodas claimed in claim 13, wherein said messaging network accesses andforwards said called address data to said telecommunications network.16. An interface of an interactive device for originating acommunications call, including: means for causing display of at leastone B party; means for enabling a B party to be selected on saiddisplay; and a link which on being activated sends selected party datacorresponding to said B party to a public network, whereby said publicnetwork instructs communications means of said public network toestablish a call with said B party.
 17. An interface as claimed in claim16, wherein said public network accesses called address data of said Bparty for said communication means on the basis of said selected partydata.
 18. An interface as claimed in claim 16, wherein said displaymeans displays called address data for said B party, and said selectedparty data includes said called address data.
 19. An interface asclaimed in claim 16, including means for generating a search for said Bparty using said public network, and means for receiving results of saidsearch and forwarding said results to said display means.
 20. Aninterface as claimed in claim 16, wherein said interface is sent to saidinteractive device by said public network on request from saidinteractive device. 21-39. (canceled)